Streamlining the border is an ongoing process

The line of vehicles backed up on the Queen Elizabeth Way leading to the Peace Bridge or those trying to snake their way across the Lewiston-Queenston and Rainbow bridges make many in the economic development communities on both sides of the Niagara River cringe. And with good reason.

While cross-border lineups are not as dramatic as in past years, they continue – and so does the perception that entering the United States or Canada means spending hours sitting in your car.

“Border-crossing lineups into the U.S. are still there and we are not where we should be,” said Sam Hoyt, who sees the issue on two fronts.

Hoyt is chairman of the Buffalo and Fort Erie Public Bridge Authority – also known as the Peace Bridge Authority – and regional president of Empire State Development Corp.

When wearing either hat, he said, border-crossing issues are always at the top of his agenda.

“If you get caught up in a long wait time at the border, unfortunately that is what you are going to remember and tell people,” Hoyt said.

The issue is not exclusive to Western New York and Southern Ontario. It touches all 11 states where the United States and Canada border each other, as well as states along the U.S.- Mexico border.

On many days, using one of the region’s border crossings is a relatively seamless event. But try crossing when the Buffalo Bills or Buffalo Sabres have a home game or when there is a major holiday. That’s when long lines pack the QEW and the New York State Thruway.

In recent years, improvement projects on the Canadian plazas of the Peace Bridge and Lewiston-Queenston Bridge have helped. Work is planned on the U.S. plazas for both bridges.

The Rainbow Bridge, depending on special events, is typically less backed up than the Peace or Lewiston-Queenston bridges.

From the Peace Bridge Authority’s standpoint, he said, the revamped Canadian plaza is a model for what officials would like to see happen at the U.S. plaza. Some of the logjam issues may soon be resolved if the authority completes the deal to acquire the Episcopal Home property on Busti Avenue and the City of Buffalo agrees to turn over a slice of Busti Avenue to the authority.

Those two key issues – and they have not yet been resolved – could give the Peace Bridge Authority the elbow room it needs to widen the U.S. plaza.

There are other plans in the works, too.

Earlier this year, the Peace Bridge was selected for a pilot program that will allow the majority of inspections of U.S.-bound trucks and commercial vehicles to take place on the Canadian plaza. That program would allow some of the truck inspection booths on the U.S. plaza to become full- time auto inspection booths.

“It would make a difference,” said Ron Reinas, Peace Bridge Authority general manager.

Crossing issues still hover around the region’s four international bridges. Last year, for example, the Peace Bridge handled 6,045,423 vehicles, including 4,776,935 cars. This year, bridge traffic is up 1 percent. Through Oct. 31, the bridge handled 5,131,041 vehicles, including 4,047,346 cars.

Local insiders blame the Bush administration-imposed Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. Travelers must have such documentation as passports, enhanced driver’s licenses or Nexus cards to cross the border, adding to the perception that the U.S.- Canada borders were no longer seamless. The initiative took effect three years ago.

Initially, WHTI created confusion over what documents were acceptable and also added to the misperception that without the proper documentation, people may not be allowed to enter the United States.

“There was this huge cultural shift, especially around here,” Reinas said. “What used to be so easy suddenly because unpleasant.”

“For tour operators whose living depends on promptly getting their customers from point A to point B, the uncertainty of how long it will take to cross the border is a genuine deterrent to bringing customers here,” Healy said.

“We have heard that several Ontario-based tour operators are considering cutting back on tours due to long wait times. Although our region has seen significant visitation from Ontario in recent years, we need to ensure that crossing the border is a smooth process if we expect to continue to see these customers in our stores, restaurants and attractions,” Healy said.